Maternity garment



Oct. 23,- 1951 A. J. GREENDALE 2,572,614

MATERNITY GARMENT Filed Oct. 9, 1948 JT/y' 14' IN V EN TOR.

I L 1419151115 J. PEE/VDALE I 15 16 BY g Patented Oct. 23, 1951 NITED S'TATlaE-S *MATERNITY GARMENT Arlene J. Greendale,Qlgicagglll. Application October 9, isgaserial-no. 53,629

1 Qlajm. (eta-J6) The invention relates to improvements in garments and more particularly to a novel fitted maternity garment.

Dresses ofthe-kind-intended for use -as maternity garments-often are fashioned with shirring or -pleatsin the-areaof l the waist, at least inthe frontal region so as to-permit progressive expansion-of the garment-at the waist area. Other such garments are fashioned in the manner of wrap-arounds; that is, they are open their entire length and are adapted to initially overlap at the opening, with sufficient overlap material as will permit progressive reduction in the overlap without exposing the opening.

Garments embodying these and other known features enabling expansion are unattractive, owing principally to the failure to provide means to permit necessary expansion without destroying the basic lines of a fitted garment. As an example, a garment having a shirred waist has too much fullness in the depending skirt portion, while in the wrap-around type of garment no attempt is made to maintain the semblance of a fitted dress.

The present invention has as one of its objects the provision of a readily expansible form-fitted garment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a form-fitted garment with an expansible frontal area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a form-fitted garment with novel means permitting progressive expansion of the frontal waist area without causing the remaining portions of the garment to become unsightly because of sagging, excessive fullness or tautness.

Another object is to provide novel means for securing adjustable areas of a garment taut without binding.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following descriptions and claim, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows an exemplary embodiment and the principles thereof. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same principles may be used, and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art, without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a garment embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the waist of the garment.

. :2 E'ig. '3:.. is;- a fragmentary; insideelevational, view .of the garment front,.-at the {waist area.

aReferr-ing specifically i to ,the accompanying drawing; ,the garment 0f {the present inye on includesa skirt] tandia bodice l2, suitably joined atthelwaistuin alseamglii. Shouldcrel lfa.9$; H, or: the-dike, maybe aflixedmto ;the upper, margin of the bodice-54.2. e'IIhe waist sSQlm .13 extend substantially about the entire garment, but the stitching thereof terminates short of the frontal area so as to leave an unsewn portion defining a waist slit or opening I5.

The skirt [I may be fabricated in any suitable or conventional manner. However, in the formfitted garment of the present invention, at least the front area consists of a plurality of gores l6, connected in seams I! along complemental adjacent edges. The seams I! extend from the lower edge of the skirt in the direction of the waist seam l3. The seams ll terminate short of said waist seam, as at l8, to thereby leave the upper extremities of the gores unsecured and provide flaps 19.

The bodice portion I2 likewise is fabricated from a plurality of sections 20 suitably joined along complemental adjacent edges in seams 2|. The seams 2|, like the seams 11, also terminate short of the waist seam l3, so as to leave the lower extremities of the sections 20 free to define flaps 22. Upon referring to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the side edges of the fiaps l9 and 22 are suitably folded over and bound, as by tape 23. This provides a finished appearance to the fiap edges and further provides required reinforcement for the .flaps to prevent their being readily stretched or otherwise drawn out of their intended shape. Each of the free end edges of the flaps l9 and 22 is suitably provided with a hem 24, which hems are reinforced and finished by binding tape 25. The hems 24 are open at their ends and are adapted to receive therethrough a draw string generally indicated at 2B.

The draw string 26 may include a pair of laces 21 formed by folding the draw string medially upon itself and securing its bight portion to the inside face of the garment at one end of th waist slit I5, as by means of stitches 28. If desired, two separate laces, tied at both ends, may be used. The laces 21 are then threaded in the manner illustrated so as to be crossed over, as at 29, between adjacent flaps. In this manner the flaps of the skirt are afforded adequate support by the lacing so as to prevent their sagging or becoming displaced laterally with relation to the companion flaps on the bodice [2. The free ends of the laces 21 may be brought through an eyelet 3!! and suitably tied, as at 3|, in any position of adjustment; or the eyelets may be omitted and the ends may be tied on the inside of the earment, in which event the ties 3| are concealed.

It should be quite obvious at this time that a form-fitted garment constructed as described hereinbefore is capable of having its frontal area at the waist expanded or contracted easily and quickly, without shirring or wrinkling, and that the portions thereof affording such expansion or contraction are adequately held against displacement so as to thereby insure correct hanging of the skirt I l, without undue flaring or other hulkiness. It should be understood further that the garment disclosed herein is adapted to constitute one portion of an ensemble, the other portion 7 g 7 consisting of a suitable jacket (not shown), which, when worn, will conceal the openings resulting from expansion of the frontal area.

' 'Although an exemplary form of the invention has been shown in the accompanying drawing and described in detail in theforegoing specifica- -'tion, it should be understood that the garment is capable of embodying a variety of modifications in detail structure and assembly, such as the providing of darts as continuations of the perpendicular slits in a form-fitted skirt and bodice to said edges, said edges and slits defining in said front area a plurality of oppositely disposed flaps, a hem in the waist edge of each flap, means reinforcing the flaps along the edges of the slits,

7 and a draw string laced through all of said hems.

ARLENE J. GREENDALE.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: r a

UNITED STATES PATENTS g .i

Number Name. j j Date 7 443,390 Caen Dec. 23, 1890 1,885,379 Roller Nov. 1, 1932 2,141,814 Frankfurt Dec. 27, 1938 2,142,479. Rosenfelder Jan. 3, 1939 2,288,905 Jackson July 7, 1942 r 2,470,678 Auslender May 1'7, 1949 

